Lecture 5

Question 1

Definition of THEORY

Answer 1

interrelated set of constructs (variables)
put into propositions or hypotheses (predictive statements)
specifies variable relationships
tested
to give a scientific explanation or prediction (what the researcher expects to find)
can be series of “if then” statements

Question 2

Quantitative researcher uses a theory to… (3)

Answer 2

create a hypothesis
conduct a study
present his/her findings

Question 3

Levels of Theory (3)

Answer 3

Micro (interactions between people)
Meso (organizational, social movements, or community)
Macro (social institutions, cultural systems, societies)

Question 4

Deductive Approach

Answer 4

“top down” process

1. researcher tests or verifies a theory
2. researcher tests hypotheses or research questions from the theory
3. researcher defines and operationalizes variables derived from the theory
4. researcher measures or observes variables using an instrument to obtain scores

Question 5

Variables

Answer 5

characteristic/attribute of an individual or organization
measurable/observable
varies
common examples: age, gender, SES, attitudes, behaviours
sometimes referred to as constructs

Question 6

6 different kinds of variables

Answer 6

Independent
Dependent
Intervening/mediating
Moderating
Control
Confounding

Question 7

Independent Variable

Answer 7

probably cause/influence/affect outcome

may be called: treatment, manipulated, antecedent, or predictor variables

Question 8

Dependent Variables

Answer 8

depend on independent variable

outcome/result of the influence

Question 9

Intervening/mediating variables

Answer 9

between independent variables and dependent variables

mediates the effects of the independent variable

Question 10

Example of Intervening and mediating variables

Answer 10

Study prep (Independent Variable) … Organization of Ideas (Intervening variable) … Test performance (Dependent variable)

Question 11

Moderating Variable

Answer 11

affect direction +/or strength of relationship
new - constructed by researcher
1 V X another V to determine joint impact
example: age x quality of life attitudes impacting self esteem

Question 12

Control Variables

Answer 12

type of independent variable (eg. age, gender)

controlled via statistics to try to find out actual impact of independent variable on a dependent variable

Question 13

Confounding (spurious) variables

Answer 13

not measured in the study (difficult to assess)

commented on afterwards

Question 14

Surveys

Answer 14

provides a numeric description of trends, attitudes, opinions
studies a sample (then generalizes to population)

Question 15

Experiments

Answer 15

tests impact of a treatment or intervention on outcome
controls for other factors that may influence that outcome
sample -> population

Question 16

Numeric description

Answer 16

trends, attitudes, opinions

study a sample of a population

Question 17

Advantage of Surveys

Answer 17

quick turnaround and large sample possibilities

Question 18

Forms of Data Collection

Answer 18

mail
telephone
internet
personal interviews
group administered

Question 19

Single stage of a sampling design

Answer 19

access to names with a population/sample directly

Question 20

Multi-stage (clustering)

Answer 20

organizations -> names within organizations -> sample

Question 21

Selection Process (3)

Answer 21

Random (equal probability of being selected)
Non-probability (convenience sample/available)
Stratification (eg. gender, age equally represented)

Question 22

Population vs Sample

Answer 22

Example: UNBC
Population: all UNBC students
Sample: # of students included in survey

Question 23

3 Survey Instruments Choices

Answer 23

1. Specifically design instrument for study purposes
2. Intact, existing instrument
3. Modified existing instrument

Question 24

Survey questions

Answer 24

relating variables to research questions to item on survey
closed
two scales used: continuous & categorical

Question 25

Mail out process of a survey

Answer 25

advance notice, survey,
follow up: 4-8 days later,
4th notice to non-respondents: 3 weeks later

Question 26

Response Rate

Answer 26

how many respondents did the survey have?

Question 27

Response Bias

Answer 27

what is effect of non-responses?

would these non-responders have affected results?

Question 28

Descriptive Stats

Answer 28

frequency, mean, SD, range

Question 29

Inferential Stats

Answer 29

various tests for significance (t-test, analysis of variance, Chi-Square)

Question 30

Interpretation

Answer 30

drawing conclusions from results

statistically significant or not

Question 31

Key Ideas of Surveys

Answer 31

cross sectional
longitudinal
population - sample
questions
instrument used for data collection
procedures for distribution/follow up
statistical analysis

Question 32

Experiments

Answer 32

tests impact of a treatment on an outcome
controls for other factors that might influence (eg. random selection of individuals to groups)
one group gets treatment, other does not
measures difference

Question 33

What do experiments define?

Answer 33

Independent, dependent, intervening variables

Question 34

4 Designs of Experiments

Answer 34

1. pre-experimental
2. quasi-experimental
3. true experiments
4. single subject

Question 35

Pre-experimental

Answer 35

single group, intervention studied, no control group

Question 36

Quasi experimental

Answer 36

participants not randomly assigned to groups

Question 37

True experiments

Answer 37

participants randomly assigned

Question 38

Single-subject

Answer 38

observing single individual/small number over time